The author and academic Mark van Vugt discusses leadership, the research and science behind it, and his new book Selected: Why Some People Lead, Why Others Follow, and Why It Matters (Random House, 2011), with Joseph Planta.

Selected: Why Some People Lead, Why Others Follow, and Why It Matters by Mark van Vugt and Anjana Ahuja. (Random House Canada, 2011) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Selected

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at THECOMMENTARY.CA.

The history and psychology of leadership is explained in a highly readable, highly recommended book, Selected: Why Some People Lead, Why Others Follow, and Why It Matters. One of its authors joins me now. Mark van Vugt, who joins me from Toronto now, co-wrote the book with Anjana Ahuja. What they’ve done here is take much scientific research, distilled it, added some fascinating anecdotes, and give us the reader, a great sweep through the last couple of million years to see who amongst us emerge as leaders, who are followers, and perhaps gives us a glimpse into where we’re headed. Mark van Vugt is a professor of psychology at the VU University of Amsterdam, and holds honorary positions at the universities of Oxford and Kent. His website for more is at www.professormarkvanvugt.com. Selected is published by Random House. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Mark van Vugt; Good morning, Professor van Vugt.

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